Helio, partnered with Ryan Briscoe, finished fourth in the ALMS P2 class, sixth overall. Briscoe and Castroneves started the Laguna Seca race at the back because they changed tire compounds between qualifying and the race.

Following the Race, Helio traveled to Australia, to compete on the last race (an exhibition race) for the Indycar 2008 Season.

It’s the Nikon Indy 300, in Surfer’s Paradise, Australia. To be broadcasted live on Oct 25 at 10:30 pm (ET) on ESPN CLASSIC.

Let’s cheer on Helio, as he is confident and concentrated for this race, and Thanking all his fans worldwide for the great support, on and off tracks.

Some Indycar Helio Notes for the Australia Race.

• In the four times Castroneves has competed in Australia, he’s earned one top-ten finish and one top-ten start.
• Castroneves finished second in the 2008 IndyCar Series Championship point standings, just 17 points behind winner Scott Dixon.  This was Castroneves’ second runner-up finish since he joined the League in 2002.
• In the seventeen IndyCar Series events this season, Castroneves earned two wins, three poles and eleven podium finishes; completed 99.9% and led 20% of laps run, and started in the top-five twelve times.  He also led the most laps in six events, including the final three races. 
• Castroneves’ pole in Nashville extended his IndyCar Series record for most consecutive seasons with a pole (7).  He is the IndyCar Series leader in career pole positions with 26; double that of any other driver (Greg Ray is second with 13).
• After leading 80 laps at the season-finale in Chicago, Castroneves extended his IndyCar Series record for races in which he’s led laps (71).  In addition, Castroneves led the Series this season in races led (13), laps completed (2,857), races running at finish (17); top-five finishes (15) and was tied for the lead in top-ten finishes (15) with Tony Kanaan.
• In Sonoma, Castroneves started from the pole for the fourth time in 2008 and led a race-high 51 laps en route to his first victory of the season.  This win marked an IndyCar Series-record seventh and his tenth overall win from the pole.  Castroneves’ victory also marked his ninth consecutive season of earning at least one win, a Penske Racing record (Rick Mears is second with seven seasons, which he earned from 1979-1985).  In addition, he also holds the IndyCar Series record for consecutive seasons with at least one victory (8).
• Castroneves’ win in Sonoma coupled with teammate Ryan Briscoe’s second place finish marked the Team’s second 1-2 finish of the season (the other came in Mid-Ohio) and it’s 36^th in its open-wheel history. 
• The duo’s front row sweep in Sonoma was also Team Penske’s third 1-2 start this season and their third consecutive front row sweep on a permanent road/temporary street course (Mid-Ohio and Edmonton were the other two).  This was also the fifteenth 1-2 start for the Team since joining the IndyCar Series full-time in 2002 and the 51^st in its history.
• The second win of the season for Castroneves came at the season-finale in Chicago after he started last (28^th) and led a race-high 80 laps.  The photo finish was the second closest finish in IndyCar Series history.
• Castroneves has finished in the top-five in 65 of the 112 (58%) races he’s run since joining the IndyCar Series full-time in 2002 including Miami, St. Petersburg, Japan, Kansas, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Texas, Richmond, Nashville, Mid-Ohio, Edmonton, Kentucky, Sonoma, Belle Isle and Chicago in 2008; he’s finished in the top-ten in 87 out of 112 races (77%).

Did You Know?

In the last three IndyCar Series races, Castroneves earned one pole, two wins, a second-place and led the most laps in each race.

Good Luck in Australia, Helio!

Helio wants to thank everyone for their support. The phone calls and emails mean a lot to him.

Since he was 12 years old he has been a race car driver and he will face this case as a difficult race.

Helio doesn’t know much about the tax laws in the United States. For that reason, he has experienced lawyers and accountants at his side.

He has faith that he will win this case, since he knows he is not guilty.

Thank you,
Castroneves Racing PR

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Helio gostaria de agradecer a todos que têm ligado e escrito com seu apoio. Esse carinho e apoio significa muito pra ele.

Desde os seus 12 anos de idade ele é um piloto de corridas, e vai enfrentar esse caso como se fosse mais uma difícil corrida.

Helio não entende das leis de impostos deos EUA, por isso tem ao seu lado advogados e contadores experientes.

Ele tem fé que vencerá esse caso, pois sabe que não é culpado.

Obrigado,
Castroneves Racing RP

Castroneves and teammate Ryan Briscoe outpaced the rest of the cars to finish first in the Le Mans Prototype 2 Class.

Briscoe started the 10-hour, 1,000-mile race, but Castroneves took the driver’s seat during the third-hour at 2:19 p.m. At the time, the duo’s No. 5 Porshe RS Spyder was the overall leader, and led the Le Mans Prototype 2 Class.

At one point, Castroneves was as far back as fifth place, and after driving for a little over two hours, he gave the reins back to Briscoe. Briscoe vaulted up the standings, going head to head with Romain Dumas for the lead in the LMP2 Class.

The remaining 3 hours of the race were driven by Helio, who took the No. 5 Porshe RS Spyder Prototype to the finish line in first place. 

Helio and Ryan climbed a short fence, and celebrated at the winner’s circle.

Congratulations Helio, Ryan, and Team Penske